Cyclone Mandous To Hit Coast Around Mahabalipuram, NDRF Teams Deployed In Tamil Nadu — 10 Points

Andhra Pradesh Meteorological Centre informed that severe cyclonic storm 'Mandous' over Southwest Bay of Bengal moved nearly west-northwestwards with a speed of 12 kmph in the past six hours.

New Delhi: Heavy rainfall is expected in Tamil Nadu as cyclonic storm 'Mandous' (pronounced as 'Man-dous') over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and is predicted to weaken gradually before crossing the coast near on December 9 at midnight, the India Meteorological Department informed.

"The SCS Mandous over SW BoB about 270km ESE of Karaikal. To move WNW and cross north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south AP coast between Puducherry and Sriharikota with a windspeed of 65-75 kmph around midnight of 09 Dec," the IMD stated on Twitter.

10 Points To Know:

• Andhra Pradesh Meteorological Centre informed that severe cyclonic storm 'Mandous' over Southwest Bay of Bengal moved nearly west-northwestwards with a speed of 12 kmph in the past six hours and it is over the Southwest Bay of Bengal. It lies 320 km south-southeast of Chennai, as reported by news agency ANI.
  
  


• Severe cyclonic storm 'Mandous' is very likely to maintain the intensity of a Severe Cyclonic Storm during the next six hours and then weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm.
  
  


• Cyclone will continue to move west-northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Sriharikota around Mahabalipuram as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph during midnight.
  
  
  
  


• Three districts of Tamil Nadu were given a red alert on Friday. The districts are Chengalpattu, Villupuram, and Kancheepuram, news agency ANI reported citing officials.
  
  


• Light to moderate rainfall is expected today at most places and heavy to very heavy showers at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in north coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry. Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in adjoining south coastal Andhra Pradesh and north interior Tamil Nadu and Rayalaseema. Following the landfall, the rainfall will recede.
  
  


• The Tamil Nadu government stated that 12 teams — comprising nearly 400 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force and the State force — have been deployed in 10 districts including Nagapattinam and Thanjavur in the Cauvery delta region, Chennai, its three neighbouring districts, and Cuddalore. A holiday was declared for schools and colleges on Friday.
  
  


• Chairing a high-level meeting at the Secretariat, Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu asked officials to ensure that all stipulated measures are followed including prior announcements on the release of surplus water from reservoirs and shifting people living in vulnerable areas to relief shelters, as per PTI. The government advised people to avoid travelling on Friday.
  
  


• A defence release informed that several measures have been initiated by the Coast Guard (Eastern Region) in view of the cyclonic storm. "CG ships and aircraft have been continuously issuing advisories and shepherding fishing boats to return to harbour." All oil rigs, offshore installations have been requested to ensure safety of personnel, the release stated.
  
  


• Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday directed the Collectors of various districts to be vigilant in view of the cyclonic storm. He held a review meeting with the concerned officials in this regard and directed that adequate precautions be taken by the authorities reviewing the impact of the storm from time to time. The agriculture department officials were asked to create awareness about the precautionary measures to be taken by the farmers
  
  Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places over Chittoor and Anantapuramu districts and heavy rainfall over YSR district and Prakasam district on December 10, as per the IMD.
  
  


• The UAE named cyclone Mandous, which means "treasure box" in Arabic. This is the second cyclone to hit the coast after the monsoon this year. The first tropical cyclone was Sitrang, which made landfall in Bangladesh in October.

The well-marked low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on December 6 and it further intensified into a "deep depression" and lay about 750 km off Chennai on Wednesday.